Sally Hansen Moonstone
Another busy Thursday here! Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. I sure am! Today’s post is on a shade that I had reservations about initially. I thought it was going to be one frosty mess. Glad I’m wrong on that! From their Lustre Shine line, here’s Sally Hansen Moonstone.
Sally Hansen Moonstone
Moonstone is a very light white duochrome shade. The color shift is more evident when the shade is used over darker shades. On its own, I see hints of pink or lavender and a very faint tinge of green in some angles. Formula is pretty good and it dried pretty fast. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Moonstone (in shade)
Sally Hansen Moonstone (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Moonstone (close-up)
Sally Hansen Moonstone (the hint of green more evident on the bottle?)
Sally Hansen Moonstone (pinkish lavender color shift)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Hard Candy New Nail Lacquer Collection
Winter is wrapping up and color is beginning to pop everywhere. From the runways to the cosmetic aisles of Walmart the story is color and Hard Candy’s new collection – set to roll out immediately – tells a tale of “Poppin Pigments” and shades that will have you “All Lid Up!”
What you will be interested in is the 45 (!!!) new shades of Nail Lacquer that Hard Candy is launching. 5 new collections. 9 shades in each. Glitter, Chrome, Rich tones – something for everyone! Not only will nail aficionados fall for the colors but they will also flip for the price of $3.97 each!
Hard Candy New Nail Lacquer Collection
Crushed Chrome Collection. Luxurious and timeless hues embellished with a golden textured finish. This collection boasts refinement and sophistication and is infused with a vivacious luster.
Hard Candy Crushed Chromes Collection
Itsy Glitzy Collection. Intense, illuminating, and incandescent hues saturated with the richest and most extreme mica and glitter. Inspired from the runway and now at your fingertips.
Hard Candy Itsy Glitzy Collection
Crystal Confetti Collection. A unique collection based on artistic expression. Flourishing, adventurous, full coverage shades with various particle sizes and creative textures. Graffiti is revolutionary; it’s an outlet to create public art. Now take this artistic and creative expression to your nails.
Hard Candy Crystal Confetti Collection
Glitteratzi Collection. The combination of confident opposites and intimate tonalities mixed with the right amount of sparkle creates enthusiasm for the vitality of life. The hues are natural and are becoming more evolved and colored. Tasteful tones with all the personality to satisfy every trend setter.
Hard Candy Glitteratzi Collection
Candy Sprinkles Collection. Suspended in a clear top coat, shimmery flecks sparkle brilliantly with different shapes of shiny glitter. Candy Sprinkles is a fabulous top coat over any color.
Hard Candy Candy Sprinkles Collection
Pure Ice Mint Dream
Here’s another shade that’s being discontined by Pure Ice. Get them while you can still. I think I need another bottle of this one for sure. Not sure why it’s being discontinued since it’s such a pretty shade. I do know for a fact that the new shades they’re releasing are awesome. I’ll feature them next week or so. Here’s Pure Ice Mint Dream.
Pure Ice Mint Dream
Mint Dream is this white frosty shade with a slight duochrome property. You can see the slight bluish-green tint of duochrome goodness in the shots below. I’ll revisit this shade again by layering it over other shades (not just black) to see what I can come up with. Because this shade is not extremely sheer (only slightly sheer), I would have to use a very thin coat for that purpose. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Pure Ice Mint Dream (in shade)
Pure Ice Mint Dream (direct sunlight)
Pure Ice Mint Dream (close-up)
Any suggestions on what shade I should try layering this over with aside from black?
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
No-Miss Marco Mango
Hey, hey! It’s another week again. The past weekend didn’t really feel like it was a weekend to me, but it’s all good. I got to have dinner and talk with friends and see a tiny bit in what goes into a restaurant bar opening soon. 
Today’s post is a shade on the bright side. Here’s No-Miss Marco Mango.
No-Miss Marco Mango
I got this shade from my polishnbags twin a while back. I have to call her and see how she’s doing. It’s been crazy busy in my life that I wanted to chat with her when I have ample time for that. My bet is she got it from Whole Foods as well just like the other No-Miss shades she sent me. Marco Mango has a slight duochrome touch to the shade, which can be seen in direct sunlight but it’s not as strong as what you see in the bottle. It’s a light orange shimmer that applied nicely onto my nails and dried pretty fast. It’s pretty sheer so I used more than the usual 2 coats. Shown is 3 thin coats with no top coat.
No-Miss Marco Mango (in shade)
No-Miss Marco Mango (direct sunlight)
No-Miss Marco Mango (close-up)
No-Miss products can be purchased on their website and various retail locations that carry the brand.
Sally Hansen Copperhead
Hey y’all! Hope you guys are all having a great week so far. Christmas is coming up really fast. I baked close to 200 cookies or so and brought it in to work. Gone by the end of day 2, so I’m a happy girl. I’ll be making more either tonight or tomorrow night. Today’s shade is a fun one from Sally Hansen’s Lustre Shine line. Here’s Sally Hansen Copperhead.
Sally Hansen Copperhead
Copperhead is a coppery brown duochrome shade. The duochrome property isn’t quite as strong as I expected it to be, but it’s there. It just looks so much more promising in the bottle. It has a slightly frosty property to the finish. It went on smooth and dried pretty fast. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Copperhead (in shade)
Sally Hansen Copperhead (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Copperhead (close-up)
Sally Hansen Copperhead (close-up again)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Sally Hansen Scarab
Hey guys! It’s Friday again! I’m so glad for this week to be over. Between being sick, working and all those online Thanksgiving sales….I need a break again. I only took one day off from work cause I wanted to make sure all my commitments are met there. Today’s shade is one of the newer releases from Sally Hansen’s Lustre Shine line. Here’s Sally Hansen Scarab.
Sally Hansen Scarab
Scarab is a very pretty teal blue shade. While in the bottle it looks like it’d be a duochrome, it falls short when applied onto my nails. You’ll probably have better luck seeing that effect under direct sunlight, but not as much as I thought for sure. It’s more of a shimmer shade in my opinion (with a slight frosty finish). Formula is great and it dried pretty fast for me. Shown is one thick coat with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Scarab (in shade)
Sally Hansen Scarab (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Scarab (close-up)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pretty Serious Cosmetics They Came From Beyond Space Collection
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Just kidding.
Zooming in from the furthest reaches of the darkest corners of the cosmos, Pretty Serious Cosmetics is proud to unveil our newest mini collection: THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE!
This out of this world mini collection consists of a trio of fabulous multichrome foils that are guaranteed to put stars in your eyes.
ATOMIC BRAIN is a brain melting purple multichrome foil with extraordinary colour shifts from rich purple through to pink, plum, gold and olive bronze.
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Atomic Brain
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Atomic Brain (close-up shot)
GALAXY INVADER is a mind blowing blue multichrome foil with spectacular flashes of royal blue through to aqua and purple.
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Galaxy Invader
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Galaxy Invader (close-up shot)
PHANTOM PLANET is a startling pale green multichrome foil with a stunning aqua and blue shift.
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Phantom Planet
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Phantom Planet (close-up shot)
I know what you’re thinking. When? Where? How? Why?
The when is November 10th, 9am AEST. The where is pretty-serious.com. The how is our secret. The why is because we love you!
RRP is $9.95, with a 10% discount for buying all three shades! Pretty Serious Cosmetics also ships worldwide. Check out our site for more details.
Bottle volume is 11ml/0.37 fl.oz. Pretty Serious Cosmetics is 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free.
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen
Hey Guys! Today I have a shade from a brand I’ve become acquainted with recently, as seen in the press release in this post. It sure is pretty and receives my seal of approval as a brand to look out for. Here’s Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen.
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen
What is there not to love about this shade? For those that know me well, I love duochrome shades. This is no exception. Dancing Queen is a stunning duochrome shade with lots of shimmer. I see purple and green mostly under different angles of light. It’s a little bit on the thin side, but an additional coat gave me the coverage I needed. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (in shade)
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (direct sunlight)
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (close-up)
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (see the color shift?)
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (green color shift)
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen (purple color shift)
Definitely a keeper!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Monster Mash Collection
If you’ve been following Pretty Serious Cosmetics in the nail world, get excited for this Halloween Collection they’re putting out! Read on.
Pretty Serious Cosmetics is proud to present our Halloween 2012 collection – MONSTER MASH!
That’s right, we’ve gone batty here at the Pretty Serious labs and this year, we’re trying our hand at MAD SCIENCE! We’ve taken some ghastly little Halloween monsters and thrown them in a blender, finishing them off with some hair of the spider* and a little eye of newt!**
We’ve got six amazing new shades to help you get your scare on this Halloween!
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Creature Crush
CREATURE CRUSH – a haunting mix of black and silver glitter in an inky blue-green jelly base with large black and silver holographic hex glitter
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Gargoyle Ganache
GARGOYLE GANACHE – a multichrome shimmer with flashes of green, gold and purple through a stony gunmetal base.
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Liquid Leprechaun
LIQUID LEPRECHAUN – Multi sized golden and green glitter particles floating in a radioactive green jelly base
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Mummy Mush
MUMMY MUSH – a gorgeous golden glass fleck mulltichrome, shifting through baby blue to pink
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Poltergeist Puddle
POLTERGEIST PUDDLE – an intense blurple shimmer with a pink flash and a slight golden duochrome
Pretty Serious Cosmetics Viscous Vampire
VISCOUS VAMPIRE – a red jelly base that’s so bright you can almost call it fluorescent, with multi-sized red and fuschia glitter
If that wasn’t amazing enough, our new Halloween shades will be packaged in sensational new holographic green boxes with new Halloween art by Leigh Young!
These fabulous freaks go on sale at 9am AEST, October 10th from http://www.pretty-serious.com/. RRP is $9.95, with a 10% discount for buying all six shades! Pretty Serious Cosmetics also ships worldwide. Check out our site for more details.
Bottle volume is 11 ml/0.37 fl.oz. Pretty Serious Cosmetics is 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free.
Elle Cosmetics “Shades of Gray” Nail Polish Trend
Did you guys know that Elle Cosmetics had nail polish in their line? I sure didn’t! Read on.
Elle Cosmetics Nail Lacquer in Chain Mail & Dancing Queen
EDIT: Dancing Queen swatch here.
This season, even the neutrals are bold and beautiful. Step away from the comfort zone of pink and cream and sport the new neutral (“newtral” if you will). ELLE’s new nail lacquer collection includes two beautiful shades of gray – just what you need for a perfect ten.
Elle Cosmetics Chain Mail
Elle Cosmetics Dancing Queen
Price: $10, Available exclusively at Kohl’s and Kohls.com nationwide
Dancing Queen looks like it could be a holographic duochrome or duochrome shimmer to me! Eeeee!
Bobbie Weng Weng
Hey guys! I’m in total Guild Wars 2 mode, so posts will be spotty for the next 2 weeks or so. I plucked out a post that I guest posted way back. Here’s my old post on it and here is what I guest posted….
Hey guys! I’m so excited that Marta was so receptive to me guest posting on her blog when she’s away on a little reunion! I promised her a great shade that would be new to most of her readers. Well, this is in hopes that most of her readers aren’t from the Philippines! Haha! So without further ado, here’s a shade from the local brand Bobbie called Weng Weng.
Bobbie Weng Weng
Can you just say WOW? This is a shade that’s both holographic and duochrome! I love it! I picked this up when I was on vacation last year, visiting my parents in the Philippines. This one’s definitely a keeper. I took so many shots of this cause it’s just too stunning for my standard 4 shot post. I haven’t even tried this layered over black or other shades. I bet it’d be hot. See the purple flash? I was hoping so much that what I see in the bottle actually shows up on my nails and it does! Formula was great to work with and it dries really fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Bobbie Weng Weng (direct sunlight)
Bobbie Weng Weng (another shot)
Bobbie Weng Weng (flipped bottle to show the beauty on the bottle)
Bobbie Weng Weng (angle changed)
Bobbie Weng Weng (close-up)
Bobbie Weng Weng (with flash)
Bobbie Weng Weng (another angle)
Bobbie Weng Weng (and another)
I picked up a couple of these and have gifted them to my good friends. I believe this is part of their permanent line. Unfortunately, those that aren’t in the Philippines would have to swap for it or ask someone they know going there to pick them up some.
Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012)
Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! Today’s post is on a shade from Sally Hansen’s Complete Salon Manicure line. This is a new shade for 2012 with a name that has been assigned to a previously released shade. This caused some confusion when it first came out this year because everyone had high hopes that it’s a rerelease of the orignal shade, but it isn’t unfortunately. Here’s Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012).
Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012)
Hidden Treasure (2012) is a pale whitish silver shimmer with a slight duochrome finish. It’s not bad really, but it certainly isn’t as good as the original Hidden Treasure (which is an awesome flakie). Formula is decent and it dried pretty fast for me. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012) (in shade)
Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012) (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure (2012) (close-up)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Nicole by OPI Fall 2012 Target Exclusives
Accessorize with Lacquer!
Nicole by OPI Launches Five NEW Fall Shades, Exclusively at Target
Nicole by OPI announces five new nail lacquers to be sold exclusively at Target this fall. With richly pigmented formulas in shimmering shades of deep blue, gold, purple, mauve and green, these five hues can be worn as the ultimate accessory to the season’s hottest styles, from military-inspired jackets and heavier brocades to micro floral prints and leather.
“Nicole by OPI is excited to bring the fashion-forward Target guest new lacquers for the fall season,” remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Not only do the shades add the final touch to runway trends, the shimmery finish adds elegance and depth to these trendy colors.
The five new lacquers include:
Nicole by OPI For Gold Times Sake
Go on and try on this gold…
Nicole by OPI Iris My Case
Because this purple is amazing.
Nicole by OPI Just Busta Mauve
You will want to put on your dancing shoes to wear this one.
Nicole by OPI If the Blue Fits…
This blue fits all!
Nicole by OPI Mer-Maid for Each Other
This green is so hot it was made just for you!
Nicole by OPI nail lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. These new Target exclusive shades will be available August 2012 for $7.04 each at select Target locations nationwide and online at Target.com.
For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan!
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft
Hey guys! It’s Thursday today and just like I said earlier in the week…..time sure flies by fast! I’m already looking forward to the weekend. I’ve got lots to swatch and show you guys. Let’s get on with today’s shade first. All the way from Australia, here’s Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft.
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft
Evening Light Soft is a shade from one of their 3 new lines called Shade Shifters. The Shade Shifters line is described as the following:
• Full gloss finish
• Chip resistant, long wearing and quick drying
• Glitter Gal’s shade shifters are similar to those you see on wings of exotic beetles – they transition from one shade to another when viewed from different angles
• There are 2 distinct finishes available for our Shade Shifter range -“Brilliant”- very bright glitter effect showing slightly larger particles; and “Soft” – more smooth polished look with finer particles
• Can be worn of Glitter Gal’s Serpent Black for a more intense colour
• No top coat is required
• “Big 5 Free” – this means they do not contain – Formaldehyde free, DPB free, Toluene free, Formaldehyde Resin or Camphor free
Formula is excellent for this shade and drying time is fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft (in shade)
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft (direct sunlight)
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft (lighting changed)
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft (close-up)
And here is a shot showing 2 thin coats of Evening Light Soft by itself next to 2 thin coats of Evening Light Soft over a layer of Milani Black Swift. Layering it over other shades brings out stunning effects on your nails.
Glitter Gal Shade Shifter Evening Light Soft and over black
Glitter Gal also offers other beauty items aside from nail polishes. Even though they are based in Australia, they do ship internationally. The nail polishes are priced at AUD$17.95. They are also available on some other nail e-tailers. I am particularly antsy about their new lines that are coming up soon, Shade Shifter and Transitions. So if you’re interested in their nail polishes or other beauty items they offer, feel free to check them out on their website or follow them on Facebook (Glitter Gal Cosmetics), their blog Glitter Gal, or even on Twitter (GlitterGal_Aus)!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Sally Hansen Platinum
Hey guys! It’s Tuesday and the week usually starts flying by fast from this point on. At least for me it always does. Today’s post is on a beautiful shade with a finish I love. Here’s Sally Hansen Platinum.
Sally Hansen Platinum
Platinum is a pretty sheer shade with a duochrome shimmer finish. The sheerness doesn’t bother me at all since it’s a duochrome shade. I usually use them alone or layer it over other shades and simply admire the duochrome property of the polish. Formula was decent to work with and it dried pretty fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Platinum (in shade)
Sally Hansen Platinum (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Platinum (close-up)
Sally Hansen Platinum (lighting changed)
Sally Hansen Platinum (see the color shift?)
Sally Hansen Platinum (lighting changed again)
Sally Hansen Platinum (duochrome goodness)
Sally Hansen Platinum (last shot)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There
Hey guys! Today’s post is on one of the new shades from Sally Hansen’s Diamond Strength line. Here’s Sally Hansen Aisle Be There.
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There
Aisle Be There is a gorgeous duochrome glitter shade. Duochrome + glitter = pure awesomeness. ‘Nuff said. Shown is one coat with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There (in shade)
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There (close-up)
Sally Hansen Aisle Be There (lighting changed)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Sally Hansen Linen
Today’s post is again another shade from one of Sally Hansen’s newest line, Smooth And Perfect. I really like this line a lot, which I didn’t expect at all. It’s a good thing overall. Here’s Sally Hansen Linen.
Sally Hansen Linen
Linen is a pinkish off-white shimmery shade that’s slightly opalescent in nature. I like this one a lot due to the opalescent quality. It makes me think of duochrome finishes. It’s a bit on the sheer side, but I like it that way. You can tack on another coat or use it over another shade for full opacity. Formula is great and drying time is fast. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Linen (in shade)
Sally Hansen Linen (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Linen (close-up)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Pure Ice Jamaica Me Crazy
Today’s post actually relates to something in real life for me. I was going to post about this shade and 2 co-worker friends of mine had a drink yesterday from Seagram’s called Jamaican Me Happy. What a coincidence that the shade I swatched for today is Pure Ice Jamaica Me Crazy.
Pure Ice Jamaica Me Crazy
Jamaica Me Crazy is a crazy pink shimmer shade with a blue duochrome-ish flash. It is very pretty and I think there is a shade from China Glaze that can be close to it. Formula was decent. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Jamaica Me Crazy (in shade)
Jamaica Me Crazy (direct sunlight)
Jamaica Me Crazy (close-up)
This shade does remind me of Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games movie. The color really pops out like how her character is in the movie.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Sally Hansen Black Tie
There’s not much words really that I could say more than what a lot of other bloggers already have about this shade. It’s stunningly beautiful at a very affordable price. Here’s Sally Hansen Black Tie.
Sally Hansen Black Tie
Black Tie is a lovely duochrome shimmer. I originally didn’t think much of it since a lot of shades doesn’t translate the beauty of the in bottle color when applied on nails. This one, however, delivers. I see flashes of purple and green mostly. Shown is 2 coats with no top coat.
Sally Hansen Black Tie (in shade)
Sally Hansen Black Tie (direct sunlight)
Sally Hansen Black Tie (close-up)
Sally Hansen Black Tie (look at the color shift)
Sally Hansen Black Tie (color shift under sunlight)
Sally Hansen Black Tie (see that?)
This should be available generally wherever Sally Hansen is retailed.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Kitty Guest Posts @ChitChatNails!
Hey, hey! Hope you guys are so happy like me today…..it’s Friday! My guest post for Marta’s blog over at ChitChatNails went live yesterday and I encourage you to check it out! This is a sneak peek of what I guest posted over there:
Kitty Guest Posts @ChitChatNails!
OMG! Duochrome holographic? Why, yes indeed! Like I said, go check it out! And even if I hadn’t made a guest post there, I’d still encourage you to check out Marta’s blog and give her a shout. She does some great stamping and layering jobs over there. Happy Friday!
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009
Hey guys! Today I have probably one of the most recognizable shades from Etude House. This one’s known as Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009.
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009
It’s a very pretty blue shimmer shade with a slight duochrome that unfortunately didn’t really show up much in pictures. Trust me, it’s there and that’s one of the main reasons girls are gaga over this shade. This applied great and dries fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009 (in shade)
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009 (direct sunlight)
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009 (another shot)
Etude House Dear Darling Bling Bling BL009 (close-up)
Simply gorgeous! As I mentioned before in my previous Etude House posts, I scored this one on my trip back home last July. You can try getting this on eBay as well. There are some sellers based in Korea there that sells these for a reasonable price.
Milani Blue Lightening
Blue Lightening (I keep trying to spell lightening correctly!) is part of Milani’s latest collection MEWOW Look At My Nails!, which features a few new high speed fast dry polishes. I didn’t think much about this shade based on the press release picture, but after reading what NouveauCheap wrote on her blog….I knew there was more to it than my first impression.
Milani Blue Lightening
Blue Lightening had a lot of promise when seen in person. At least just based on looking at the bottle. There is some duochrome yumminess going on in there! I mean, just look at it! I kept tilting the bottle back and forth to see the color change. Formula was nice and smooth. It dries really fast and it’s not gritty like most sparkly shades, probably cause it’s a glass fleck sparkle instead of glitter. I do believe that this shade can pass for the one coat formula that it claims to be. I tend to apply very thin coats, so I ended up using more than one. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Milani Blue Lightening (in shade)
Milani Blue Lightening (direct sunlight)
Milani Blue Lightening (close-up)
Milani Blue Lightening (lighting changed)
Milani Blue Lightening (last shot)
My only complaint is I can’t really see the duochrome that much. It doesn’t show up in the pictures at all for me, but it’s there in person. Don’t expect buying this and being blown away by being a duochrome. I do love the glass fleck sparkle in this beautiful blue. It’s simply stunning, don’t you agree?
Shades from the MEWOW Look At My Nails! Collection should be available in select Walgreens stores this month nationwide for about $4.99 each. You can also grab these on their website while they still have ‘em.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
Mattese Elite Happy Hour Swatches
It’s Friday! Today’s post will go well with celebrating the start of the weekend. Is everybody else ready for this weekend to be over? I know I sure am! I will be going with a few co-worker friends down to the city after work for dinner and a shopping trip in the Asian grocery store. Fun times! And to kick things off, here are swatches for Mattese Elite’s Happy Hour Collection. Note: these 6 cocktail themed shades are scented!
First up is the one that caught my eye among the 6 shades, Hypnotic.
Mattese Elite Hypnotic
This bright, blue shimmery shade is soooooo pretty! I actually recruited a few guy co-workers to rate the accuracy of the scent and this one is dead on according to 2 of them (the rest didn’t know what it’s supposed to smell like, ha!). The scent is cloyingly sweet, but very tolerable to my nose and I’m pretty sensitive to scents. It didn’t give me a headache at all! This shade has a very slight duochrome shimmer that can be seen in certain angles only under direct sunlight. I can definitely say this shade did not disappoint in my book! Formula is easy to work with. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Hypnotic (in shade)
Mattese Elite Hypnotic (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Hypnotic (close-up)
Next up is named after a very popular drink, Cosmopolitan.
Mattese Elite Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan is a bright deep pink (I want to say fuchsia) shade that reminds me a lot of China Glaze’s Purple Panic. This shiny creme shade is very pretty and the color is sure to catch people’s attention. The scent is pretty accurate according to the boys. It applied onto my nails smoothly. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Cosmopolitan (in shade)
Mattese Elite Cosmopolitan (lighting changed)
Mattese Elite Cosmopolitan (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Cosmopolitan (close-up)
Next is based on another drink that I’ve heard a lot of before, Tequila Sunrise.
Mattese Elite Tequila Sunrise
The color of this shade suits the name of the drink, but the scent aspect for this one comes up a bit short. It smells faintly of orange and that’s about it. It doesn’t completely miss the mark at least. This duochrome property in this orange shimmer is more apparent than in Hypnotic. It’s quite mesmerizing seeing it. Unfortunately, it didn’t show up well in any of these swatch shots. I can barely see it in some shots and that’s about it. Formula was a teeny bit more watery than the other shades, but not on a deal breaker proportion. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Tequila Sunrise (in shade)
Mattese Elite Tequila Sunrise (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Tequila Sunrise (close-up)
Shirley Temple is another classic that a lot of people are familiar with.
Mattese Elite Shirley Temple
This one’s a fun bright, light pink creme shade that’s very delicate and feminine. It’s not as bold and wild as the other 5 shades in this collection. The scent for this one is lighter than the other shades and Seargent Grumbles (code name for my co-worker developer/chef) says it smells right to him. Formula is good to work with and it dried pretty fast. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Shirley Temple (in shade)
Mattese Elite Shirley Temple (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Shirley Temple (close-up)
Next shade is a staple in any Happy Hour gathering my co-worker friends have, Apple Martini.
Mattese Elite Apple Martini
Mmmmmmm…….just hearing the name of that drink is making my mouth water. However, the scent isn’t that accurate. All the boys detected a relatively strong presence of coconut and they all guessed it was Pina Colada. It’s a bit too sweet too to be Apple Martini, but these are just what the boys think of it. Your experience may vary with any of these opinions stated. I will admit though that the scent doesn’t screm Apple Martini to me. This bright green neon shade is a pretty addition to my stash. I must admit I was expecting a more sublte apple green shade based on the name. It applied onto my nails smoothly. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Apple Martini (in shade)
Mattese Elite Shirley Apple Martini (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Shirley Apple Martini (close-up)
Last shade in this collection is Purple Passion.
Mattese Elite Purple Passion
I don’t think I’ve ever had this drink before. The grape scent of this shade is pretty strong. Pobe says he smells grape, but isn’t quite sure if it makes the mark. Sergeant Grumbles says it’s pretty good compared to the real thing. This grape purple creme shade has a very shiny finish compared to the other cremes in this collection. Application was smooth and easy. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
Mattese Elite Purple Passion (in shade)
Mattese Elite Purple Passion (direct sunlight)
Mattese Elite Purple Passion (close-up)
Overall? Well-rounded collection that has a very fun theme. My co-worker friend S (yes, I have several of them) thought it would be fun to go out one night and order these 6 drinks and verify the scent accuracy. Fun activity indeed…..but could be pricey! 
I don’t think these are all straight up neons, but some definitely are such as Apple Martini.
You can score any of these beauties directly on their webpage or if you live in the wonderful state of New York, you can stop by at any Ricky’s NYC store locations (see here) and see this and other shades for yourself before you buy. Mattese Elite shades retails for $5.99 each before tax.
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
OPI Serena Williams Glam Slam! England Swatches
Today, I have swatches of the 3 shades from OPI’s Serena Williams Glam Slam! England Collection. Overall, I am pretty impressed with the Serena Williams Collections and this one’s no exception. There are 2 sets, each with a pretty shade and a glittery top coat called Servin’ Up Sparkle.
First up is Your Royal Shine-ness.
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness
Out of the 3, this is the least interesting one to me. It’s a silver metallic shade that packs a lot of shine under sunlight. Formula is good to work with and it dries pretty quick. It’s just not a shade that stands out from any other silver metallic shade from many other brands. Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness (in shade)
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness (direct sunlight)
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness (close-up)
Then we have Servin’ Up Sparkle that comes in the set over Your Royal Shine-ness.
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness with Servin' Up Sparkle
OPI Your Royal Shine-ness with Servin' Up Sparkle (direct sunlight)
The next set has a gorgeous shade called Grape…Set…Match.
OPI Grape...Set...Match
I absolutely adore this shade. L-O-V-E! Grape…Set…Match is a shimmery purple shade with a slight duochrome. One of the swatch pictures below definitely shows it! I see blue and purple flecks in the base, very pretty! It went onto my nails smoothly and dried in no time! Shown is 2 thin coats with no top coat.
OPI Grape...Set...Match (in shade)
OPI Grape...Set...Match (direct sunlight)
OPI Grape...Set...Match (close-up)
OPI Grape...Set...Match (wow!)
And now, with Servin’ Up Sparkle from the set.
OPI Grape...Set...Match with Servin' Up Sparkle
OPI Grape...Set...Match with Servin' Up Sparkle (direct sunlight)
And a glimpse of Servin’ Up Sparkle by its lonesome.
OPI Servin' Up Sparkle (in shade)
OPI Servin' Up Sparkle (direct sunlight)
OPI Servin' Up Sparkle (close-up)
These should be available in various retail stores such as ULTA and Trade Secret. I personally think the set with Grape…Set…Match is a must-have!
*Some products in this review may have been provided by the PR company or manufacturer for an honest opinion.*
